










































From a Manor Kitchen 
 
By: Martin Lovelace 

 
 
My great-aunt Emily Lovelace, “Auntie Nimmo” (1875--1967), cooked for wealthy families in Dorset, 
England, including the Colfoxes (the uppermost local gentry) at their Delapre estate in Bridprot. Her 
manuscript cook book, in various hands, shows recipes Emily used regularly, and gathered from other 
cooks: a wonderful procession of cakes, chutneys, jams, fancy desserts, and full menus “for the 
partees.” After her marriage, aged 36, to Harry Parsons, an ex-Royal Navy artificer, the couple served 
at the Gentlemen’s Club in Bridport where Harry was steward and Emily cooked. As a little boy I knew 
her as the only lively one among her ailing sisters whom she took care of in later life. I recall her 
caraway seed cake, a taste which I have always loathed. Recently I attempted one of her recipes for 
marmalade, attributed to one Aunt Martha. It required much soaking and boiling, and unusually called 
for a proportion of sweet oranges along with the Sevilles. It made marmalade that to my taste was too 
sweet, even insipid, but of a gorgeous bright orange colour. It was unlike the dark and cloudy Oxford 
style that I usually make but I’m sure it looked just the thing on a silver salver. 
 

1. Emily Parsons with her young great-nephew 

 



2. Emily’s manuscript cook book 

 
 

3. Pages from Emily’s manuscript cook book 

 

 
 



4. Menu for a 1903 supper 

 
 

5. "For the Partees,” Jan. 2nd-4th, 1903 

 



 
 

6. Recipe for Game Pie 

 

 

7. Recipes for Tomato Chutney and Furniture Polish 

 



 
8. Recipe for Emily’s “Aunt Martha’s Marmalade” 

 

 

9. Martin with bottled marmalade 

 



 
10. Oxford-style and Emily’s more jelly-like marmalade 

 

 

 


